Much like the general population of Chattanooga, local residents who have seen battle in Iraq have varying opinions on whether the United States should continue fighting there.

“I believe (operations are) on track,” said Lt. Col. Eric Merkle of “Mike Battery,” a Chattanooga-based Marine reserve unit. “Conditions have improved from when I was there in 2004 and 2005.”

Lt. Col. Merkle points to new schools, mosques and businesses built since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, along with a marked change in attitude among Iraqi citizens.

“One of the big indicators to me that the people at large were beginning to understand the concept of democracy was their overriding willingness to face extreme danger just to go out and vote,” he said. “And they were facing insurgents in a way they hadn’t before.”

But Spc. Christopher Cruz of Chattanooga, who was attached to the U.S. Army’s 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment when it invaded Fallujah in 2003, said that in his opinion conditions were not so rosy.

Initially, he said, “we were supposed to be there for a couple of weeks. They told us (the Iraqis) would say hi to us, welcome us with open arms. And at first, everything was great. But about two months later, just overnight, it was like somebody lit a match.”

Spc. Cruz, who is originally from Knoxville but is being treated in Chattanooga for post-traumatic stress disorder that he said he sustained in battle, believes all troops should withdraw immediately.

“We opened up Pandora’s box. The only way to stop it is to get away,” he said.

But like Lt. Col. Merkle, Spc. Michael Lingo of Chattanooga believes the United States should “follow through.”

“I wouldn’t want to hark back to Vietnam, or other countries we started in,” said Spc. Lingo, who was in Iraq with the Tennessee National Guard’s 278th Regimental Combat Team from 2004 to 2005.

Even after having to deal with losing a close friend in battle, he said he would return to Iraq if called to serve again.

“It may sound crazy, but yeah, I think it’s worth it,” Spc. Lingo said.